Do Ethical Drinks Taste Better? By Mikey on May 9th, 2022 in Blog Spread the love It’s World Fair Trade Day on Saturday 14th May and that got us thinking. Does the fact that drinks are made ethically make them taste better? Here we focus on ethical drinks and their credentials. From Fair Trade supply chains to supporting ecological causes. From sustainable certification to Organic or Biodynamic farming practices. How do the ethics promoted by these products benefit our flavour receptors? Flavour Behaviour The reality is that perception has a strong influence on flavour. A positive flavour expectation is generally to the benefit of our enjoyment. It could be from a friend’s ringing endorsement or a trusted expert opinion. And it can most definitely be a recognised symbol on a piece of packaging that chimes with our morals. A recently completed European study found that an ethical drinks origin plays a role in inducing moral satisfaction. It’s this moral satisfaction that creates a positive flavour expectation. If you think you’ll like something, you’re more likely to. Below are four drinks we hope you believe in as much as we do. And, boy, are they tasty. Fair Play FAIR spirits do exactly what they say on the tin. The company plays fair with its whole supply chain. Not only does it ensure fair wages and prices are paid to farmers and producers but promotes sustainable ecological practices too. Effectively, if you care about equality, sustainability and ecology, this should be right up your street. FAIR Salvador XO Rum is made in El Salvador from molasses derived from Fairtrade sugarcane. It’s super smooth and incredibly complex making it a wonderful sipping rum. Our taste test revealed golden raisins and orange blossom at the forefront of this rich and dark caramel-y rum however there’s more; coconut shavings, tobacco and pineapple juice. This is an elegant and poised rum. We tasted this blind, without even knowing about the brand’s strong ethical stance. FAIR-ly exceptional ethical drinks. No Junk in this Trunk The makers of Elephant Gin take conservation very seriously. After travelling extensively across Africa they were determined to create a product that would do some good. Three things were paramount; it would have to taste great, reflect the places and habitats they loved, and have to contribute to preserving them for future generations. Elephant London Dry gin uses unique African botanicals including Baobab, Buchu and African Wormwood (amongst others) to create a bold, delicious and layered spirit. It’s excellent in a G&T and makes a wonderful ‘Pink Gin’ with a splash of Angostura Bitters. 15% of all profits go to conservation charities Big Life Foundation and the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. This helps maintain and restore habitats for wild elephant populations across Africa. With elephant populations in serious decline, anything we can do to help must be a good idea. Especially when it tastes this good! Elusive botanicals Organic spirits can be somewhat hard to come by. Especially those that use flavouring botanicals. Maintaining a consistent supply of ingredients is hard as many are farmed in small quantities by producers scattered all over the world. Especially when you insist on them being organic. In the mid-’60s, Bavarian Master Distiller, Hans was learning his trade in Italy. Once back home he started making an Amaro for friends and family, using a delicious recipe he’d learnt on his travels. It’s this recipe that his grandson Max and three friends decided to revive many years later. Amaro Mondino only uses organic botanicals and wine. Max and his friends added a local twist by incorporating Alpine herbs which offer a lovely balance to the flavours of rhubarb, gentian and hibiscus. It’s delicious in a Spritz, Negroni or simply with soda. Less bitter than Campari and less sweet than Aperol, Amaro Mondino hits the sweet spot. A cracking combination From aromatised wine to straight-up wine now. Organic farming certainly helps preserve habitats. Combining sustainable practices with the organic way makes a difference, however. It’s not just about reducing your negative impact on the planet, but about actively enhancing it for future generations. Feudo Antico makes its organically and sustainably certified wine in Italy’s Abruzzo region. Their wines are wonderfully concentrated, surprisingly developed, yet still fresh: long days of sunshine intensify fruit flavours; altitude offers cool nights, slowing ripening; pergolas lift fruit high off the ground, encouraging cool breezes. Their Montepulciano d’Abruzzo really stands out. It has lots of lovely ripe and slightly jammy fruit, just enough refreshing acidity and mild, silky-smooth tannins. What you don’t expect is aromatic notes of tobacco, cooking spice and old leather-bound books. Surprise and delight? It’s got it by the bucketload. On this evidence at least, doing things ethically unquestionably makes a tasty drink.